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King Reserve
The King Reserve yellow trail has been rerouted and we invite you to explore the red trail in the south end of the reserve as well.
Parking Lot: Crowfoot Road east of Sloan Elementary School.
N 40° 27.212 W 079° 39.454
Description:
The King Reserve is one of the larger conservancy holdings. The 122-acre parcel extends between Hills Church and Mamont Roads. The southernmost area below Crowfoot Road adjoins the Sloan Elementary School property. Because of its size, this is the most diversified of the nature reserves with the greatest variety of plants. It features a small intermittent stream named Sylvan Run and a short section of a tributary of Haymaker Run known as Pearson's Creek. Meadows, shrub thickets, and both secondary succession and mature forest make up the remainder of the habitats. Access is from a parking lot on the south side of Crowfoot Road, which is close to the entrance trail on the opposing berm marked by a sign. The 3-acre parcel known as Potter's Corner is adjacent to the King Reserve and shares the parking lot.
History:
Another of the parcels of land referred to us by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, this 95-acre parcel had been in the King Family since 1879. The property adjoins Crowfoot Rod and Gun Club and is otherwise surrounded by residential areas. Mrs. Marjorie King Saco had rejected earlier offers to buy her property, fearful that it would be developed. She agreed to sell it to the Westmoreland Conservancy on a bargain sale basis to ensure that the land be protected. $40,000 was raised from individual contributors and a Pennsylvania DCNR grant was obtained for $84,000 to help defray the cost of the purchase. The municipality contributed by building the parking lot on Crowfoot Road. Also, cash was donated by the Crowfoot Rod and Gun Club.
In a recent agreement with Crowfoot Rod and Gun Club, a 6-acre area proximate to their trap range north of Crowfoot Road was swapped for their continued use of the land, while a 32-acre parcel south of the road became part of the King Reserve. This allows the protection of a significant part of Sylvan Run and the surrounding floodplain. This brings the total contiguous acreage of the King & Potter Reserves to nearly 125.
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